Fuse end connector



March 11, 1969 K. .1. STARTIN FUSE END CONNECTOR Filed Aug. 31, 1966United States Patent 38,260/ 65 US. Cl. 337-201 7 Claims Int. Cl. H01l85/02, 85/46 This invention relates to electrical connectors and moreparticularly to an electrical connector assembly for releasablyinterconnecting electrical circuits through a fuse.

Customarily electrical circuitry is connected through fuses so that inthe event of electrical overload exceeding the capacity of the fuse, thefuse opens the circuit and prevents damage to the circuit components. Inmany applications, cartridge fuses are employed, a cartridge fusecomprising a short tubular component of standard length and diameterincorporating an insulating sleeve, usually of glass, contains a fusewire core connected at its ends to metal end-caps to the sleeve. Thefuse is generally mounted in a connector with each end-cap in areceptacle and each receptacle is then connected to one or more circuitleads. Opening of the circuit containing the fuse requires removal ofthe fuse and caps from the receptacles.

A connector according to the invention comprises a bipartite insulatinghousing, a first part releasably mating with a second part and the firstpart containing spaced fuse cap receptacles for receiving respectiveend-caps of a cartridge fuse, the second part carrying at least one tabcontact arranged so that on mating engagement of the two housings thetab contact is arranged to engage an end of an end-cap of the fuse.

Suitably the second part of the housing is formed with a pair of spacedtab contacts arranged for engaging the fuse end-caps at respective endsof the fuse. Means may be provided for arranging second tab contacts inback-toback relationship with respect to the first mentioned tabcontacts to effect multiple connections at each end of the fuse.

Consequently, it is an object of this invention to provide an electricalconnector assembly having a housing part which is matable with a secondhousing part.

Another object is to provide an electrical connector assembly in whichthe first housing part contains fuse receptacles for receiving end-capsof a cartridge fuse.

Still another object is to provide an electrical connector assembly inwhich the second housing part carries at least one tab contact.

Other objects and attainments of the present invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the followingdetailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings inwhich there is shown and described a preferred embodiment of theinvention; it is to be understood, however, that this embodiment is notintended to be exhaustive nor limiting of the invention, vbut is givenfor purposes of illustration in order that others skilled in the art maymore fully understand the invention and the principles thereof and themanner of applying it in practical use so that they may modify it invarious forms, each as may be best suited to the conditions of theparticular use.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference tothe accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional elevation of a bipartite electrical connectorassembly, and

FIGURE 2 is a transverse section of the electrical connector assemblytaken on the line 22 of FIGURE 1.

The connector assembly comprises first and seconr matable housing parts1 and 2 of resilient insulatin material. The housing part 1 containsspaced pairs 0. tab terminals 3 which project into a recess 4 of thehous ing part 1 to define fuse end-cap receptacles, each pair 0: tabs 3receiving an end-cap 11 of a cartridge fuse 5 therebetween.

Each ta-b terminal 3 is crimped at its rear end to a conductor Wire 3aextending externally of the housing part 1 and forwardly of the crimpsection is formed with a pair of pushed-out tongues 6 projecting on thesame side of the tab and engaging a rear facing shoulder 1a of thehousing part, as seen in FIGURE 2. Each tab terminal 3 is formedforwardly of the tongues 6 with a rearwardly and sidewardly-inclineddetent tongue 7 projecting on the same side as the tongues 6 andcentrally disposed between them. The tongue 7 is pushed out from a slotin the tab to engage a forward facing shoulder 1b of the housing part 1to latch the tab terminal in a slot 8 formed in the housing part andopening to a base of the recess 4. The tab terminal 3 projects forwardlyof the detent tongue 7 as a flat rectangular tongue of reduced widthformed at its forward extremity with a central dimple-like indentation9. As seen most clearly in FIGURE 2, the dimples 9 of the tabs 3 of eachpair being opposed in convex manner towards each other.

Between the forwardly projecting portions of the tabs 3 of each pair,the housing part 1 is formed with projections 10 presenting, as seen inFIGURE 2, arcuate concave recesses for cradling respective end-caps 11of the fuse 5. Each fuse end-cap 11 is resiliently gripped between theforwardly projecting parts of the tab terminals 3 within the recess 4beyond the dimples 9, as seen in FIG- URE 2, which clamp the end-caps 11in the cradle portions of the projections 10.

The recess 4 of housing part 1 is defined within a forwardly extendingwall 12 defining a protective shroud for the projecting tab portionswithin the recess, and the wall has side parts 13 closely spaced fromthe ends of the fuse end-caps 11 to define narrow slots 14 between theend-caps 11 and the wall parts 13. Forward inner side portions of wallparts 13 are outwardly chamfered at 13' to provide lead-in surfaces asdescribed below.

The housing part 1 is provided rearwardly of the wall 12 with a pair offorwardly extending external resilient latch arms 15 integrally formedwith the housing part 1 and projecting at their forward ends to engagestrap portions 16 of housing part 2 releasably to latch the two housingparts together.

The housing part 2 has a forward shroud portion 17 slidably embracingthe wall portion 12- of part 1 in telescopic manner and at its forwardend abutting a stop 18 of housing part 1 to limit relative movement ofthe housing parts 1 and 2 together. Slots 19 are formed in housing part2 which open within the shroud 17 opposite to re spective slots 14defined between the fuse end-caps 11 and the wall parts 13 of housingpart '1. Each slot 19 is formed with an inner forward shoulder 20 and anouter rearward shoulder 21 which are forward facing and are associatedwith corresponding rear facing shoulders 22 and 23 spaced rearwardly.Rearwardly of shoulders 22 and 23, the slots 19 are widened on oppositesides to accommodate conductor wires 24, 25 extending rearwardly outsidehousing part 2. The conductor wires 24, 25 are crimped at their forwardends to respective tabs 26 of identical form to the tabs 3 mounted inhousing part 1. Identical reference numerals are applied to parts oftabs 26 corresponding to similar parts of tabs 3.

At each slot 19' a pair of tabs 26 are arranged in backto-back fashionwith the dimples 9 and detent tongues 7 on remote sides, as seen inFIGURE 1. The detent ongues 7 and ears 6 engage respective shoulders 20,21, md 22, 23 to latch the tabs 26 in the slots 19 and, in view of therearward staggering of shoulders 21, 23 compared with inner shoulders20, 22, the inner tab 26 proiects further forward than the outer tab 26.The portion of the inner tab projecting forwardly of the outer tab 26 isdisposed within the complementary slot 14 with the dimple 9 engaging theend of the fuse end-cap 11 and the tab is resiliently gripped betweenthe adjacent wall part 13 of wall 12 housing part 1 and the end of thefuse endcap 11 in a wedge fit.

During mating assembly, as the two housing parts 1 and 2 are movedtogether, the chamfered surfaces 13 act as guide surfaces directingforward ends of the inner tabs 26 into the slots 14 and towards the endsof the fuse end-caps 11, and furthermore may engage forward ends of thedimples 9 of the outer tabs 26 to clamp the outer tabs tightly againstthe inner tabs.

Suitably pairs of tabs 26 are provided at positions corresponding toopposite ends of each cartridge fuse in the manner shown in FIGURE 1,but outer tabs 26 of each pair may be omitted if desired.

The assembly described is particularly useful in the harness wiring ofan automobile to effect releasable fused interconnection between theengine compartment wiring and the passenger compartment wiring and tothis end, as seen in FIGURE 2, the housing part 1 is formed withsidewardly projecting flanges 30 formed with apertures 31 arranged sothat the housing part 1 may be disposed in a bulkhead aperture andsecured to the bulkhead by fasteners extending through apertures 31 intothe bulkhead.

Changes in construction will occur to those skilled in the art andvarious apparently different modifications and embodiments may be madewithout departing from the scope of the invention. The matter set forthin the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is offered by wayof illustration only. The actual scope of the invention is intended tobe defined in the following claims when viewed in their properperspective against the prior art.

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical fuse connector assembly comprising a bipartiteinsulating housing having a first housing member releasably connectedwith a second housing member, the first housing member having mountedtherein spaced fuse receptacles for receiving end-caps of a cartridgefuse and the said second housing member having mounted therein at leastone tab contact member so that upon mating engagement of the first andsecond housing members, the tab contact engages an end-cap of the fuse,the tab contact being disposed in a slot in the second housing memberand arranged to wedgingly engage an end of the fuse endcap in a slotdefined between the end portion of the endcap and an adjacent wall ofthe first housing member.

2. An electrical fuse connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe second housing member is provided with at least a pair of spaced tabcontacts arranged for engaging fuse end-caps at respective ends of acartridge fuse.

3. An electrical fuse connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe tab contact is associated with a second tab contact mounted inback-to-back fashion with respect to the first contact but terminatingat its forward end short of the slot which is adjacent the fuse end-cap.

4. An electrical fuse connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe wall of the first housing member adjacent the fuse end-cap ischamfered to provide a gradual lead-in to a slot formed therebetween.

5. An electrical fuse connector assembly as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe fuse receptacle comprises pairs of tabs mounted in spacedface-to-face relationship.

6. An electrical fuse connector assembly comprising a dielectric housinghaving a first member releasably connected to a second member, means onsaid members to maintain said members in an engaged condition,fusecarrying connector members mounted in said first member to carryfuse means therein and to electrically engage end terminals of said fusemeans, fuse-engaging electrical connectors carried by said second memberin engageable alignment with ends of said end terminals of said fusemeans, and means provided by said first member adjacent saidfuse-carrying connector members to bias said fuseengaging electricalconnectors into electrical engagement with the ends of said endterminals of said fuse means.

7. An electrical connector assembly comprising a dielectric housinghaving a first member releasably connected to a second member, latchingmeans provided by said members to maintain said members in an engagedcondition, component-carrying connector means mounted in said firstmember and spaced from each other for electrically engaging terminalmeans of electrical component means and for carrying the electricalcomponent means, component-engaging connector means carried by saidsecond member in engageable alignment with end means of said terminalmeans of the electrical component means, and means provided by one ofsaid members adjacent said component-carrying connector means tomaintain said component-engaging connector means in electricalengagement with the end means of the terminal means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,404,323 1/1922 Rohn 2001l32,736,875 2/1956 Protz 200-133 3,011,143 ll/1961 Dean. 3,069,652 12/1962Greco. 3,229,066 1/1966 Rowe 200'-133 BERNARD A. GILHEANY, PrimaryExaminer. H. B. GILSON, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R.

1. AN ELECTRICAL FUSE CONNECTOR ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A BIPARTITEINSULATING HOUSING HAVING A FIRST HOUSING MEMBER RELEASABLY CONNECTEDWITH A SECOND HOUSING MEMBER, THE FIRST HOUSING MEMBER HAVING MOUNTEDTHEREIN SPACED FUSE RECEPTACLES FOR RECEIVING END-CAPS OF A CARTRIDGEFUSE AND THE SAID SECOND HOUSING MEMBER HAVING MOUNTED THEREIN AT LEASTONE TAB CONTACT MEMBER SO THAT UPON MATING ENGAGEMENT OF THE FIRST ANDSECOND HOUSING MEMBERS, THE TAB CONTACT ENGAGES AN END-CAP OF THE FUSE,THE TAB CONTACT BEING DISPOSED IN A SLOT IN THE SECOND HOUSING MEMBERAND ARRANGED TO WEDGINGLY ENGAGE AND END OF THE FUSE ENDCAP IN A SLOTDEFINED BETWEEN THE END PORTION OF THE ENDCAP AND AN ADJACENT WALL OFTHE FIRST HOUSING MEMBER.